Brazilian Butt Thread Lift FAQ

New Body Shaping Technologies

What is the Brazilian Buttock Augmentation Lift?

The Brazilian Butt Thread use specifically designed sutures or threads to lift and round the buttocks. These threads have a series of knots covered by special cones that allow the threads to be placed easily and with minimal discomfort.

Thread with knot and cone

The cones produce a response in the body that causes multiple small fibrotic areas that act like tiny ligaments. These ligaments fix the threads in place so that the surrounding tissue can be pulled up without discomfort or dimpling. The combination of multiple threads (4-6 per side are normal), and the tiny ligaments make the Brazilian Buttock Augmentation Lift a comfortable and effective procedure. The procedure does require time to allow the tiny ligaments to form. For this reason, the Brazilian Buttock Augmentation Lift is performed as two procedures. During the first procedure, the threads are placed and left to allow the ligaments to form. After about 3 months, the small incision is re-opened and the threads are tightened and the butt lifted.

Why have the Brazilian Buttock Augmentation Lift?

The Brazilian Buttock Augmentation Lift is a great option for individuals who want higher more shapely buttocks. This has long been a difficult area to correct cosmetically. Classic lift surgery leaves significant scars and has unimpressive patient satisfaction. Likewise, buttock implants have failed to gain widespread popularity. Scars from implants can be significant and many patients never lose the sensation of sitting on a pillow. Previous forms of thread lifts have often reduced buttock mobility and been plagued with discomfort. Fat transfer to the buttocks is growing quickly and can often be added to the Brazilian Buttock Augmentation Lift. However, some patients do not desire the increased buttock size from fat transfer. So the major reasons for having the Brazilian Buttock Augmentation Lift are:

Desire for improved buttock shape and volume without the “pillow” sensation of implants

Desire for improved buttock shape when combined with body contouring with liposuction.

Image by Dr. Gasparotti

Before and After Brazilian Buttock Augmentation Lift and Liposuction

For many patients, the Brazilian Buttock Augmentation Lift represents the best choice for improving buttock shape.

What happens during the first procedure?

The first procedure begins with marking you in order to properly position the threads. This is a very important step and is critical to good results.

Typical marking pattern for Brazilian Buttock Augmentation Lift

Next, pictures are taken and you may be given a mild sedative or pain medicine if you desire. We take you to the procedure room, place you on monitors and lay you on your stomach. The buttocks and lower back area are sterilely prepped and draped. We inject a local anesthetic to the area above the fold between the buttocks and the exit site of each thread. A small incision is made just above the fold between the buttocks. This incision is about ¾ in (1.5 cm) long. A special spreader is placed to open the incision and allow easy access.

The threads are placed along the marking lines. The threads pass through the fat zone between the muscle and skin. This area has very few nerve fibers, so you feel very little. Once each thread is placed the buttocks are smoothed to assure good placement and avoid dimpling. After each thread is placed, it is labeled so it can be paired with the same thread on the other side. Once all the threads are in place, each one is tied to the same thread on the other buttock. All of the threads are rolled into a small bundle and placed back in the incision. Finally, the incision is closed using sutures and bandaged. Now you are finished with step one.

What happens during the second procedure?

After the first procedure you need to wait about 3 months. This allows good development of the tiny ligaments mentioned above and assures the threads are secure in place and can pull the tissue up as desired. When you arrive at the office, we will take pictures, give you medications and place you on the table as before. After the area is prepped, the scar from the previous surgery is removed and the area spread open once again. The threads are unrolled and the knots released.

Once all of the threads are released, the threads are pulled up to tighten and lift the buttocks and obtain the new contour desired. The threads are paired with the thread form the opposite side and tied securely. Next the threads are again rolled up into the incision. The incision is closed and bandaged – now you’re done.

What is the down time after the Brazilian Buttocks Augmentation Lift?

After any cosmetic procedure you should always ask: “What is the down time?” What is meant by down time is how long until you can return to regular activities. The Brazilian Buttock Augmentation Lift has fairly minimal downtime. We recommend that you avoid strenuous activity for about a week.

Regular daily activities other than strenuous exercise can be resumed the next day. You can shower the next day, but avoiding a bath or swimming for a week as well. The second procedure has the same restrictions. That’s it – otherwise you can do your normal activities.

Can it be combined with other procedure?

Brazilian Buttock Augmentation Lift can be done frequently be done in association with other procedures. While almost any cosmetic procedure could be done at the same time, some that are frequently added to enhance the overall results are:

Liposuction of the abdomen and love handles. This enhances the shape of the buttocks and entire body contour both from side to side and front to back.

Liposuction of the lateral hips/ “saddlebags”. This also enhances the overall body shape

Liposuction with fat transfer to the buttocks – Brazilian Butt Lift. This adds further volume to the buttocks.

Thermage of the buttocks. This can really help with cellulite and crape like skin in the area.

Before and After Brazilian Buttocks Augmentation Lift and fat transfer

These and many other combinations are safe and easily done. Very few affect the downtime of the Brazilian Buttocks Augmentation Lift.

How safe is the Brazilian Buttocks Augmentation Lift?

The Brazilian Buttocks Augmentation Lift is a very safe procedure, but should still be considered a surgery. It is done under local anesthesia and sometimes mild sedatives or pain medications. The procedure is considered minimally invasive. The threads are made of a material commonly known as Proline that have been used in surgery for many years.

Suture for Brazilian Buttock Augmentation Lift

Proline has an excellent history of safety and endurance. Proline sutures have been found intact in surgical patients after 30-40 years. This means that the Brazilian Buttocks Augmentation Lift has an excellent safety profile. We can also expect many years of good performance from the threads.

How well does Brazilian Buttocks Augmentation Lift work?

The Brazilian Buttocks Augmentation Lift has been met with excellent patient satisfaction both in the United States and overseas. You can judge the effectiveness of the Brazilian Buttocks Augmentation Lift for yourself by looking at some of the before and after pictures in and following this article. One of the most important questions about how good a procedure the Brazilian Buttocks Augmentation Lift is concerned the patient’s comfort after the procedure. Discomfort was a problem with previous suture lifts of the buttocks. Researchers also wanted to be certain that activity after placement of the Brazilian Buttocks Augmentation Lift did not result in discomfort or irregular contours. In order to assure good results, extensive ultrasound and dynamic motion studies were performed on the buttocks.

These were analyzed and the results used in the development of the threads and placement techniques. Results from patients have confirmed the effectiveness of this research. No significant discomfort or irregularities have been reported.

Where can I have Brazilian Buttocks Augmentation Lift done?

The Brazilian Buttocks Augmentation Lift is done under local anesthesia in the physician’s office. Currently the number of physicians in the United States performing the procedure is limited. Physicians are available in California and New York to perform the procedure.

Innovations Medical by Bill J. Johnson, MD is proud to be one of the first practice outside of those two states to perform the procedure. Over the next few years, many other practices will become available across the country, but for now, access is limited.

Who should have Brazilian Buttocks Augmentation Lift done?

Good candidates for the Brazilian Buttocks Augmentation Lift are individuals with the following characteristics:

Desire more shapely buttocks

Desire more buttock volume (may be recommended in conjunction with fat transfer to the buttocks)

Have experienced buttock ptosis or “droop” and wish to have the ptosis improved

Have had other cosmetic procedures and wish to see further improvement in the buttock region

Have no uncontrolled chronic medical conditions such as diabetes or hypertension. Individuals with well controlled conditions of these types may have the procedure

Are within 20% of their ideal body weight

Be sure to consider the entire shape or look you want and remember that other procedures in combination can greatly enhance the overall results.

Thermage of the buttocks. This can really help with cellulite and crape like skin in the area.